Ken Block (00:00):
Being creative and doing stuff at a very grassroots level and trying to grow a company. We make cool stuff in a cool industry.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Racecar driver Ken Block has died following a snowmobile accident in Utah. He was 55 years old.
Ken Block (00:15):
I don’t know. I’ve been really lucky in that way that I like really rich content and I like making really in-depth stories around athletes doing rad stuff. That’s just an amazing feeling.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Block who co-founded the skateboard brand DC Shoes shared this photo to his Instagram story hours before his death on Sunday. He captioned the image, “Sketchy and snowy drive.”
(00:39)
Block often shared videos of himself snowmobiling to social media.
Ken Block (00:44):
I grew up on the weekends going up into the mountains, enjoying just the mountains themselves in the summer and then the snow in the winter.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
In a statement posted to Facebook, the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office said Block was on a steep slope when his snowmobile upended landing on top of him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ken Block (01:01):
I knew I needed to just drive conservative, drive clean.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Now the sports world’s paying tribute. Tony Hawk shared this pic to Instagram when the pair went snowboarding in Utah a year ago. Hawk writes, “Ken was a pioneer with talents that transcended our world, bringing skate fashion into the mainstream and helping legitimize rally car culture through his peerless driving.”
(01:24)
The skateboard legend adds a video of Ken from that day, and sadly, Hawk says it was the last time he saw his friend of three decades.
(01:31)
“Ken dropped into unknown territory with speed, grace, and confidence. Thanks for showing us the way.”
(01:38)
In recent years, Block was best known for motorsports, and videos of his exploits racked up millions of views on YouTube.
Ken Block (01:48):
Well, the first time I got in a race car, I absolutely loved it, and it was everything I dreamed about as a kid driving for the first time. It was incredible. And I was like, “Okay, when do I get back in the car next?” I was hooked.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Block’s company, Hoonigan shared a statement following his death. “Ken was a visionary, a pioneer, and an icon, and most importantly, father and husband.”
(02:11)
Block is survived by his wife and three children.